BEIJING, April 4 -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced on Friday that it will impose anti-dumping duties on cellulose pulp imported from the United States, Canada and Brazil.

The duties will last for five years, starting from Sunday, the ministry said.

According to the ministry's final ruling, companies from the above-mentioned countries have dumped cellulose pulp on the Chinese market and such imports have caused substantial damage to the domestic industry.

Anti-dumping duty rates for U.S. imports range from 16.9 percent to 33.5 percent, those for Canadian imports from zero to 23.7 percent, and Brazilian companies are subject to rates from 6.8 percent to 11.5 percent, with the exception of products from Bahia Specialty Cellulose, said the ministry.

It launched an anti-dumping probe into imported cellulose pulp in February last year.

Cellulose pulp, made from plant fiber, is used as a raw material in the production of viscose and acetate fiber.